Tequila Talkin speaks loudly in feature

WASHINGTON, PA, June 24, 2020 — Tequila Talkin commanded the mile from start to finish, putting away a couple challengers and capturing Wednesday's harness racing feature at The Meadows, a $10,800 Conditioned Trot, in a sharp 1:54.4.

Tequila Talkin and Dan Rawlings grabbed the point early from post 5 and refused to release Truman Jr Hanover, who found a seat third. Tequila Talkin later thwarted the first-over bid of Cherry Peep and rolled home to down her by 1-3/4 lengths, with Truman Jr Hanover third.

Richard Perfido trains Tequila Talkin, a 5-year-old Cantab Hall-Margarita Nights gelding who lifted his career bankroll to $145,383, for Thomas Mattingly.

Elsewhere on Wednesday's card, fans of classic television got a thrill when Aunt Bee, a 3-year-old filly trotter named for the wise but vulnerable matriarch in The Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D., broke her maiden in her eighth try. Wilbur Yoder piloted the daughter of Donato Hanover-Mayberry for trainer Kelly Rader and owners Greg Callihan and Susan Callihan.

Mike Wilder collected four wins on the 13-race card.

Live racing at The Meadows resumes Saturday when the 2020 revised stakes schedule kicks off with the $53,528 Arden Downs for 3-year-old filly trotters. Heading the field is Sister Sledge, last year's Pennsylvania freshman champion who banked $555,313. Also featured is a $2,093.64 carryover in the final-race Super Hi-5. First post is 12:45 PM.

By Evan Pattak for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association